Rain unites Federer and Sharapova

Roger Federer [Images] and Maria Sharapova [Images] are among five Wimbledon champions who will provide an unexpected bonus for Saturday's spectators after rain on Friday forced the All England [Images] Club to pack the order of play.

Defending men's champion Federer, seeking a third title in a row, takes on Germany's [Images] Nicolas Kiefer who has beaten the Swiss three times.

Sharapova, last year's women's champion, is part of a strong programme which includes world number one and 1999 winner Lindsay Davenport's [Images] rescheduled match against Dinara Safina and features both Williams sisters in third round action. Sharapova meets Slovenia's Katarina Srebotnik.

"With every single opponent I play I just go out and play my game. Serve well, return well. If you do those two things you have a big advantage on grass," she said.

Serena Williams [Images], runner-up to the 18-year-old Russian in last year's final, faces compatriot Jill Craybas.

"I'm here to stay. I think I have the best chances of people left in the draw. I think I'm probably the most mentally tough person out here," she said.

"I feel as if I have nothing to lose and only things to gain and I want to win this title really bad."

Andrew Murray, last year's US Open junior winner and the lone remaining British hope, steps out on Centre Court for the first time in his fledgling career when he plays former finalist David Nalbandian.

The wild card is refusing to allow the media hype get to him before his encounter with the Argentine 18th seed.

"I'll lose the match...Nalbandian is top 20, he's been to a Wimbledon final, I've won two matches at Queen's, two matches at Wimbledon, and I'm only 18," he said.

Another young gun, France's [Images] Richard Gasquet, takes on Gilles Mueller on court 13. Luxembourg's Mueller beat Rafael Nadal [Images] to deny Gasquet the chance to avenge his French Open defeat by the dynamic Spaniard.

© Copyright 2008 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.